Cranking mechanism for automobiles.



J. B. CASTLE.

ORANKING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEIfT. 7, 1909.

974,235. Patented Nov. 1,1910.

nutriensfrivrns .lIATllENllil ttlli ll ltll JAMES B. CASTLE, OF SAN FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT S. MOORE, OF SAN FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA.

CRANKING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l. Janus ll. (Aster-1. a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cranking Mechanism for 1-\uton1obiles, of which the following is a. specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to means for automatically disconnect ing the cranking means of a gasolene car, on a back explosion or firing of the engine occurring during the cranking operation.

To comprehend the invention reference should be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the casing or shell within which the operatin mechanism is located, the crank or cranking shaft being illustrated in clutch with the shaft of the engine to be cranked. Fig. 2 is a front view of the casing or shell with its cap or cover plate removed to dis close the arrangement of the drive mechanism for the crank shaft and the means for automatic-ally disconnecting the same on a back explosion of the engine being crai'iked.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate any suitable form of an outer shell or casing-designed to be secured preferably to the front of an ordinary auton'iobilo, and 2 the crank or cranking shaft slidably held therein for rotation. clutchmcmber 3 for engagement with the clutch member 4 on the free end of the engine shaft 5. l

The forward end portion of the crank or cranking shaft 2 is feathered to and extends through the circular head (3, rotatably held within the casing or shell 1, the projecting end of the said shaft extending within a circular socketformed in the hub 8, located in the said casing or shell 1. This hub 8 is formed with a projecting disk 9, of a diameter slightly greater than that of the head it,

and to the said'disk is pivoted, by means of the pin 10, a dog 11, the hooked end of which engages with a notch 12 in the face of the head 6 and holds the same locked to the drive disk 9.

To the hub 8 is feathered a short stud 13,

which )rojects beyond the cap or cover plate 14 of t e easing or shell 1, and its outer end is shaped to receive a cranking handle 15.

Within the casing or shell 1 is formed a Specification of Letters Patent.

This shaft carries a Patented Yov. 1. 1910.

7. 1909. Serial No. 516.822.

-' rack ring it. wilh which engages a pawl 17.

pivoted to thc head of the dog 11 and held i into engagement with tho teeth ol' the immovable rack ring I by the spring in. the l pressure of which also serves to maintain l the dog ll in locked engagement with the head (3.

f In the operation ol" (lilllli'lll L' the engine l for the starting of a car. the l)tlll\' 'hcing I positioned as illustrated in thc drawings-Mnoperator turns the cranking handle 13 for rotating the hub R. the relation of which iin'iparted to the head (i, through thc medium of the locked engagement of its drive disk .i therewith. which head in turn transmits its rotary motion to the crank or cranking sha l t 2, for rotating the engine shaft 3 to crank the engine. in case of a back tire or explosion of the engine occurring. a violent reverse rotation is transmitted to the crank or cranking shaft 9, which, ordinmrily would suddenly throw the handle 15 to the injury of the operator. The back throw thus occasioned is taken care of and the drive means automatically released in the present device as follows :--The reverse throw of the crank ing shaft is transmitted through the connecl'ed parts to the drive disk 0. and the lslrains placed thereon tend to rolatc the same in an opposite direction to its movement during the. cranking of the engine. This pulling strain is rcsislcll by the pawl 1T, which locks with the innnovahlo rack ring 16 on such hack lash ol' the operating mechanism. with the result that the pawl serves as a lever to inwardly vswing the head of the dog '11 and release the same Ifrom locked engagement with the head thus automatically releasing the d rivc mechanism from the crank or cranking halt 2" and removing the hack kick of lhc said shaft from the crank handle 13.

By reason of the limited slide movement permitted the crank or cranking shaft with in the socket T of the hub R. the same will give forwardly under the rotation of the engine shaft 5, when lhc engine has been cranked, so as to place its clutch member out of engagement with the clutch member 4. of the engine shaft 5. as usual in thi clas of devices.

The hub 8, disk 9 and dog 11 constitute the. drive mechanism for imparting rotation tothe crank and cranking shaft 2. while the l pawl 17 and immovable rack ringll serve as the clutch means for automatically disconnecting or releasing the drive mechanism from locked engagement with the head of the crank or cranking shaft 2 on a back explosion of the engine being cranked.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is- The combination -with a casing for attachment to an automobi1e,cof a cranking shaft extended therein, said shaft carrying a clutch member for engagement with the clutch member of an engine shaft, a head rotatable within the casing and through which the cranking shaft is slidable, a hub into which the projecting end of said shaft extends a disk "carried by said hub, a dog emcee to the hub within the casing to operate the cranking shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JAMES B. CASTLE. Witnesses:

N. A. AoKER, vD. B. Browns. 

